Brief History

Located at the northeastern part of Agusan Valley, sprawling across the Agusan River is BUTUAN CITY, popularly known for its colorful history and culture.

Butuan’s history, culture, arts and people date back to the 4th Century as reflected in museums, festivals and events that make Butuan an exciting source of Cultural artifacts in Mindanao.

As early as the 10th century, according to the Chinese Soong Shi (History), the people of Butuan had already established trading relations with the kingdom of Champa or Vietnam.

By 11th century, Butuan was the center of trade and commerce in the Philippines. This can be attested by the discovery of nine (9) balangays or Butuan Boats dating from 320 to 1250 A.D by the National Museum. Along with these boats, archaeologists excavated gold jewelry, death masks, Chinese porcelains, weighing scales, and other pieces of evidence of a thriving trade and commerce. Most of these artifacts were found in Ambangan, Libertad near the old EL RIO de BUTUAN and MASAO River.

Butuan was originally located in Pinamanculan by the banks of Masao River, about a kilometer from the barrio of Libertad. Finding the site less ideal because of floods, the people moved to Baog, now the municipality of Magallanes, at the mouth of the Agusan River. Still troubled by floods, the people once more settled some 80 years ago in a higher place called Agao, which is the present site of the city proper.

Description of Butuan is never complete without infusing it with the significance of the Agusan River. It is the river and its tributaries that provide the valley with rich soil from periodic floods and its serpentine routes. The rivers had provided people with easy means of transportation for trade and commerce and encouraged settlements along its banks. The Agusan River greatly helped the booming logging industry that made Butuan the “Timber City of the South”.

It is difficult to pinpoint the exact time when the name Butuan first emerged. Certainly, the name Agusan came into being upon the creation of the province in 1914. Before this, the entire area had been known as Butuan and had always been known as such as can be borne out by old historical books.

The term BUTUAN is believed to have originated from the sour fruit called “Batuan”. Others opined, it came from a certain “Datu Buntuan”, a chieftain who once ruled Butuan while the scholars believed, it came from the word “But-an”, which literally means a person who has a sound and discerning disposition. Whichever theories appear credible depends on the kind of people residing in Butuan, for whatever is said about them, Butuan continues to live on.

Butuan became a city by virtue of Republic Act No. 523 otherwise known as the City Charter of Butuan, which formally converted the municipality into a city on August 2, 1950. Then, in 1995, Butuan was declared as the regional centre of Caraga Region-XIII.

Population

In 1995, Butuan City placed its total population at 247,074. Population in the city is expected to double in the year 2015. About 92% of its 40,625 households speak Cebuano. The rest speak any of the 26 other dialects, which include among others Butuanon, Ilocano, Hiligaynon, and Tagalog. Roman Catholic is the dominant religion among the Butuanons.

Location

Butuan City is situated in the central part of the Province of Agusan del Norte with an approximate land area of 81,728 hectares. It lies flat along the banks of Agusan River following along course within the province of Davao del Norte, Agusan del Sur and Agusan del Norte.

The city is a strategic center of the Northern Mindanao Region. The national highways from Misamis Oriental, Surigao and Davao traverse the city and meet at the junction of Barangay Ampayon, effectively linking the Northern Mindanao provinces together.

Accessibility

Butuan can be reached by plane from Manila and Cebu in more than an hour and 30 minutes, respectively. It is also accessible through Surigao City by plane or by regular passenger boats from Manila & Cebu. From Surigao, take a 2 &1/2 hours bus ride or you can hire a van to Butuan.

There are also commercial boats that ply the Cebu/Manila-Nasipit route. Butuan is only 30 minutes away by bus or jeepney ride from Nasipit Seaport.

Tourist Destinations

HISTORIC BUTUAN

NATIONAL MUSEUM-BUTUAN BRANCH (City Hall Compound, Doongan)
BALANGAY SHRINE MUSEUM (Ambangan, Libertad, Butuan City)
DIOCESAN ECCLESIASTICAL MUSEUM (St. Joseph Convent, Butuan City)
NATIONAL SHRINE (CENTENNIAL MARKER) OF THE FIRST FORMAL HOISTING OF THE PHILIPPINE FLAG IN MINDANAO (Rizal Park)
MT.MAYAPAY
AGUSAN RIVER (Butuan City proper)
NIPA WINE DISTILLERY
BOOD PROMONTORY FIRST EASTER MASS ECO- PARK. (Barangay Pimanmanculan and Ambangan, Libertad)
ST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL. (In front of Rizal Park)
STO. NIÑO DIOCESAN SHRINE. (Km. 5, Barangay Libertad, Butuan City)
BANZA CHURCH RUINS. (Barangay Lilo, Banza)
PRIVATE ANTIQUE COLLECTIONS. (By prior arrangement)

Sports Activities

MOUNTAIN BIKING
SHOOTING

Events and Festivals

JANUARY
Commemoration of the Hoisting of the Philippine Flag in Mindanao (January 17, Butuan City)
Kahimunan Festival (Every 3rd Sunday of January, Libertad, Butuan City)

MARCH
Magellan Trek: Mt. Mayapay Challenge (March 21, ButuanCity)
Butuan Trade Mission to China (March 17, Butuan City)
First Easter Mass Celebration (March 31, Butuan City)

MAY
Balangay Festival (May 1 to 31, Butuan City)
Balik Butuan (May & August, Butuan City)

JULY
Cultural Festival / Tourism Consciousness Week (July 26-August 2, Butuan City)
Abayan Festival (every last Sunday of July, Butuan City)

AUGUST
Adlaw Hong Butuan (August 2, Butuan City)

SEPTEMBER
Regional Tourism Council Assembly (September /movable)

DECEMBER
Light-Up Butuan for Christmas (December 1-31, Butuan City)

Accommodation Facilities
Butuan has a variety of accommodation establishments available from standard hotels, economy hotels, and tourist inns to lodging houses at affordable rates.